Because Good Is Dumb
by Mishiko Shinsei
Summary: Slight AU. Crossover with Yami no Matsuei. Title if from an icon on LJ. 'Evil will always triumph because good is dumb.' Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.


Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.

**Because Good Is Dumb**

Alucard stares.

The woman's body had lain in the same place for at least ten minutes. From his vantage point, he could see the puncture marks on her neck, but couldn't scent or feel another vampire anywhere in the vicinity. He'd been taking a rare stroll and smelled the blood tracking it to the form before him. Arriving in the dark, secluded corner of the park, he'd spied the body and planned to wait for whatever inferior vampire showed up, dispose of him, then eat his fill.

Another ten minutes pass. And another.

He steps from the shadows of the tree and examines her more closely. She is a recent kill, less than an hour old. But where is her killer and why had he left most of the blood in her body? After another five minutes, he decides it would be impractical to allow the blood to go to waste. He'd eat his fill now and kill the freak later.

Kneeling, he lifts her up, licking his lips in anticipation. He's just begun drinking when he feels a presence behind him. A human. He'll take care of him after he's finished.

"How rude!" a heavily accented tenor intones. "To eat someone else's food without asking or even being invited! I thought Britons had better manners. I'll remember this for next years' conference."

Pausing, Alucard turns toward the bold individual, blood still dripping from his fangs.

"You're not a vampire," he states coolly.

"Perhaps not one as rude and uncouth as you, but I am. Now, I ask you to kindly refrain from eating my dinner."

Intrigued that the human shows no fear of him, he licks the blood from his lips, using a glove-covered finger to wipe away any he missed. Once done, he drops the corpse and stands, expecting to intimidate the man with his full height. An elegant silver brow being raised is all the reaction he receives.

"My apologies," Alucard ventures with a smirk, "but the meal seemed to be abandoned."

"I forgot my wine," the pale, silver-haired man explains, holding up a slim white bag, the Japanese characters on the side revealing its origin. Alucard wasn't aware of any Japanese wine stores in London. Could he have gone to Japan and back? If so, what kind of magics did he have at his disposal?

"Now if you'll excuse me," the man in white continues, "I'd like to finish my meal. That is if you haven't eaten it all," steel grey eyes narrow menacingly.

How droll. The human seeks to intimidate him.

"No, but it's probably contaminated with my blood," he replies evenly.

"Is that so?"

Alucard watches with interest and a bit of amusement as the human who thinks he's a vampire carefully puts down his bag and steps over to the cold young woman. As if in response to it's pale cousin from earlier, Alucard's eyebrow rises at the light green glow emanating from the human's right eye, hidden behind a long lock of silver hair.

"Hmm," the human comments, "Nothing demonic or magical, so it shouldn't be a problem.

"However, to avoid any other germs you may have," the man smirks, lifting the woman and turning her head, "I'll just dine from this side. Please excuse me."

Silently, Alucard steps back and merges with the shadows, but doesn't leave.

This human merits study. He watches quietly as the man bites into the woman's neck and begins feeding from her. Once done, the corpse is discarded roughly. The man stands, whispering some spell which removes all blood traces from his immaculate white suit, picks up his bag of wine and walks away.

Alucard follows him for several blocks through the shadows when the man suddenly stops with an annoyed air.

"Do you mind?" he calls, apparently to the air, "I find your stalking irritating."

Alucard doesn't respond.

"I knew you can hear me, vampire. Show yourself."

Alucard frowns. Does the human think himself on par with Integra? How dare he attempt to order him around! Alucard remains silent, wondering how the figure could have known of his presence. Suddenly, the human further surprises him by stepping right to the shadow in which he lingers and extending his hand.

"Muraki Kazutaka. I prefer to be on a first name basis with my stalkers."

Alucard smiles. He was beginning to like this human. It will be unfortunate to have to kill him. He steps smoothly from the shadows, firmly grasping Muraki's hand.

"Alucard."

"Well Alucard, care to join me?" Muraki inquires, raising the bag of wine to indicate the activity he had in mind.

"Why not," Alucard replies nonchalantly.

This would give him more time to study the strange human and find out more about his 'vampirism'. He definitely doesn't have a freak chip and he isn't undead, so what kind of human is he?

He follows Muraki to his hotel silently.

'How unexpected,' Muraki smiles to himself as they ride the elevator to his suite. 'I never thought I'd encounter a true vampire.'

He glances to his side.

'Especially not one this powerful. He must be quite old.'

Alucard feels the other studying him.

'Hmm. It seems I am not the only one merely satisfying my curiosity,' he contends with an outward sneer.

Upon reaching Muraki's suite, he hangs his coat in the closet near the door and settles onto the duvet near the window. Muraki also hangs his coat after kicking off his shoes and then heads to the kitchen. Pulling out two wine glasses, he places one in front of Alucard before opening the wine and silently filling them. Leisurely, he takes a seat on the couch across from his guest.

Each studies the other, as they drink, neither relaxing completely.

"I should be afraid of you, shouldn't I?" Muraki observes, pouring himself another glass of the exquisite wine.

"Yes," Alucard replies, flashing his fangs.

"Hmm."

"And I should kill you quickly, shouldn't I?" Alucard sneers, offering his glass for more wine.

"It would be prudent, as I have been contemplating ways to dispose of you since I caught you eating my dinner," Muraki drawls.

"Really? Have you devised a method then?" Alucard inquires, sipping his wine.

"I believe so. Severing your head and then dropping it in the Atlantic would probably prove the most effective."

"I am certain it would, if you had the ability to do so."

"Oh, I do," the eye Alucard can now tell is artificial flashes dangerously. "But I just think it would be a waste. I find you intriguing."

"Not afraid of me at all?"

"I don't fear death."

"You are a curious human," Alucard decides, putting down the now empty wine glass and leaning back casually.

"And you are a curious vampire. Or do you normally play with your food?"

A short bark of laughter escapes him and grins evilly. Perhaps he wouldn't kill this very dangerous human after all.


End file.
